New Delhi: India has expressed serious concern over the sharp rise in anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh in recent times, allegedly fuelled by fundamentalist elements and indirectly encouraged by the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. New Delhi believes that certain political groups in Bangladesh are deliberately poisoning bilateral relations to gain public attention, further aggravating an already fragile situation.
Amid these developments, so-called “July Fighters” have called for a “March to the High Commission” on Wednesday afternoon, targeting the Indian High Commission in Dhaka. The call for the protest has heightened security concerns and prompted India to closely monitor the situation unfolding across the Padma river.
In response to the deteriorating security environment, India on Wednesday summoned Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to New Delhi, Riaz Hamidullah, to the Ministry of External Affairs. He was called in by Joint Secretary (Bangladesh-Myanmar) B. Shyam, who conveyed India’s deep चिंता (concern) over the worsening law-and-order and security situation in Bangladesh, particularly in relation to the safety of Indian diplomatic missions and personnel.
Citing security risks, India has decided to suspend operations at its visa application centre in Dhaka for an indefinite period. According to an official notification, the Indian Visa Application Centre located at Jamuna Future Park in the Bangladeshi capital will remain closed from 2 pm local time on Wednesday until further notice. The decision reflects India’s heightened alertness amid fears of unrest and possible targeting of Indian establishments.
Following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government in August 2024, Bangladesh witnessed a phase of intense political instability. During that period, India had evacuated a large number of staff members and their families from its High Commission in Dhaka, retaining only essential personnel to manage critical operations. Since then, diplomatic relations between the two neighbours have seen repeated ups and downs.
The latest developments have further strained ties, with India stressing the need for Bangladesh to ensure the safety of diplomatic missions and prevent any actions that could undermine regional stability and long-standing bilateral relations.
